Method of initializing an in-car temperature sensor for a climate control system

Abstract

A method of initializing an in-car temperature sensor for a climate control system on a vehicle includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is satisfied and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output if the predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is not satisfied, and initializing the in-car temperature sensor output with an ignition-off in-car temperature sensor value if the predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is satisfied. The method also includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output if the predetermined condition. The method further includes the steps of using an initialized in-car temperature sensor output to control the climate control system if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is not satisfied.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of initializing an in-car temperature sensor for a climate control system on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: determining if a predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is satisfied and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output if the predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is not satisfied;   initializing the in-car temperature sensor output with an ignition-off in-car temperature sensor value if the predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is satisfied;   determining if a predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied; and   using an initialized in-car temperature sensor output to control the climate control system until the in-car temperature sensor is stabilized, if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is not satisfied.   
     
     
       2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition for initializing the in-car temperature sensor is satisfied comprises determining if a vehicle ignition changed from a key-off position to a key-on position. 
     
     
       3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if the climate control system is in a predetermined mode. 
     
     
       4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the predetermined mode is a panel mode. 
     
     
       5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if an engine temperature is less than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
       6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if an engine temperature output signal is not received by the climate control system within a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if using the actual in-car temperature sensor value would result in not distributing air from a panel duct. 
     
     
       8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if a difference between the ignition key-on in-car temperature and the ignition key-off in-car temperature is less than a predetermined constant value. 
     
     
       9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition for resuming to use the actual in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if a timer is greater than a predetermined time. 
     
     
       10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition for resuming to use the actual in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if the output of the in-car temperature sensor is stabilized. 
     
     
       11. A method of initializing an in-car temperature sensor for a climate control system on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: determining if a vehicle ignition has changed from a key-off position to a key-on position and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output if the ignition position has not changed;   initializing the in-car temperature sensor output with an ignition-off in-car temperature sensor value if the ignition position has changed;   determining if a predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied and using an actual in-car temperature sensor output to control the climate control system if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied;   determining if a predetermined condition for resuming to use the actual in-car temperature sensor is satisfied, if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is not satisfied; and   using an initialized in-car temperature sensor output to control the climate control system until the in-car temperature sensor output is stabilized, if the predetermined condition for resuming to use the actual in-car temperature sensor output is not satisfied.   
     
     
       12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if the climate control system is in a predetermined mode. 
     
     
       13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said predetermined mode is a panel mode. 
     
     
       14. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if an engine temperature is less than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
       15. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if an engine temperature output signal is not received by the climate control system within a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       16. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if using the actual in-car temperature sensor value would result in not distributing air from a panel duct. 
     
     
       17. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of determining if the predetermined condition indicating not to use the initialized in-car temperature sensor output is satisfied comprises determining if a difference between the ignition key-on in-car temperature and the ignition key-off in-car temperature is less than a predetermined constant value.